Adjustable noncircular orifice ring structure for glass feeders



w. r. BARKER, JR

March 30, 1937.

ADJUSTABLE NONCIRCULAR ORIFICE RING STRUCTURE FOR GLASS FEEDERS Filed Jan. 51, 1936- A ttorn e ya.

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Patented Mar. 30, 1937 PATENT OFFICE I QDJUSTABLE NONCIRCULAR ORIFIOE RING STRUCTURE FOR GLASS FEEDERS William '1'. Barker, Jr., West Hartford, Conn,

assignor to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporation ofDela'ware Application January 31, 1936, Serial No. 61,695

6 Claims.

In making certain articles of glassware, such as bottles of oblong or other non-circular shape in cross sectional configuration, it is generally desirable to employ a parison mold that is correspondingly non-circular in cross section and to deliver to such a-mold a charge of the same general cross sectional configuration.

It is desirable that the major transverse axis or the several transverse dimensions of such a 10 non-circular charge should coincide with the corresponding axis or dimensions of the mold at the time the charge enters thev mold so that the charge may settle in the mold with a minimum of change of shape or differential chilling contact of different portions thereof. This latter desirable result has heretofore been difiicult, if not impossible of accomplishment, because of difiiculty in providing proper relationship between the directions of the major or several transverse axes or dimensions of the charges being produced by a feeder and of the molds of an associate forming machine when such molds are at the station at which they receive charges from the feeder. A charge of non-circular cross sectional configuration can be produced by the use in the feeder of an orifice ring of the proper non-circular internal configuration at its lower end. Heretofore, however, there has been no adequate'way to predetermine accurately the most suitable setting or position of the major or'several transverse axes of such an orifice ring with relation to the molds of an associate forming machine, or vice versa.

An object of the invention is to provide an orifice ring assembly or structure which will permit convenient and accurate pre-setting of an internally non-circular orifice ring so that its major or a selected transverse axis will be located at any predetermined or desirable angle 0 with any given base line. such as the longitudinal median line of the feeder to which the orifice ring is applied, and so that such anglewill be indicated at the exterior of the orifice" ring in position to be readily'obs'erved and ascertained while theorifice ring is in use.

with an orifice ring assembly asx'above described, each non-circular orificexring may be adjusted when installed to assure proper cooperation thereof with the molds of the associate "forming machine. When this adjusted position has been secured, it will be maintained and indicated on a suitable scale so that a. new orifice ring may be placed in exactly the same position when replacement of the former orifice ring is required. Moreover, should such an orifice ring be in place when a forming machine is installed for cooperation with the feeder, the forming machine may be placed in the proper position with respect to the feeder outlet to secure the aforesaid desirable result should' the space and service conditions in the factory permit such a disposition of the forming machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be pointed out or will become obvious from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention, as shown in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an orifice ring assembly embodying the invention in the position which it occupies beneath the feed bowl of a glass feeder but without showing any of the feeder structure or insulation around the orifice ring the view showing in dotted lines the position of the orifice ring when it has been adjusted r0 tatively from the full line position shown in the same view; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the orifice ring assembly as op-, eratively applied to the feed bowl of a glass feeding forehearth, only a portion of the latter being shown. v

In the drawing, the numeral i0 designates a refractory orifice ring of oblong internal configuration at its lower end, as indicated at H. A cup-shaped shell or casing i2 surrounds the orifice ring l0 and has a central opening IS in its bottom for the reception of the externally shouldered lower end portion ll of the orifice ring. The orifice ring thus is centered in .the shell or casing l2, with a space of substantial width between the-orifice ring and the shell for the reception of a layer of insulation i5. This insulation may extend between the bottom of the shell or casing and the external side walls of the orifice ring, which may taper downwardly, as shown. 4

A projecting external lug IS on the orifice ring fits in anotch ll in a keeper or retaining bracket member lil that is carried by the shell or casing l2 at the inner side thereof and may be formed integrally therewith or secured thereto in any I suitable known manner. The orifice ring thus is held against rotational movement relative to the shell, in which it is firmly supported and the shell i2, the insulation l5 and the orifice ring r are all connected for rotational movement as a unit about the vertical axis of the orifice ring.

. The shell or casing II is externally shouldered as at I! so that the lower portion thereof may fit snugly within a suitable opening 20 in the outer end portion of a carrier 2i The opposite end portion of this carrier is secured tothe bottom portion 22 of the shell or casing of the feed bowl 23 of a glass feeder, as by means of a horizontal pivot pin 24 which, in the arrangement shown, extends in a direction transverse to the longitudinal median line of the feed bowl. When the carrier 2| has been swung upwardly from a lowered position to a substantially horizontal position beneath the feed bowl or spout 23, as shown, the orifice ring ID will be disposed in axial alignment with the feed outlet opening 25 in the bottom of the feed bowl 23 with the upper end of such orifice ring against the bottom of the feed bowl. The carrier may be secured in this position so as to maintain the orifice ring in operative position at the lower end of the outlet opening 25 by suitable retaining means, such as a pair of pivoted latch members, one of which is shown at 21 in Fig. 2, engaging with a depending ledge or keeper plate 28 at the outer end of the carrier 2|. Sufficient plastic sealing material, such as indicated at 29 in Fig. 2, may be disposed between the meeting surfaces of the orifice ring and the refractory bottom wall of the feed spout, at the lower end of the outlet opening '25, to serve as a seal between the orificering and the feed bowl.

The general arrangement of structure and the means for swinging the orifice ring to and from its operative position at the lower end of the outlet opening in the feed bowl and for retaining it in such operative position may be substantially as shown in Patent 1,760,254, granted May 27, 1930 to Karl E. Peiler.

The shell or casing l2 and the parts disposed therein are held against accidental or unintended rotary movement in the opening 20 of the carrier. A split clamping band or ring 30 has out-turned ends which are suitably formed so that they may be connected by appropriate fastening means, such as the bolt and nut arrangement indicated at 3|, whereby the ring 30 may be clamped tightly to the shell I2 or loosened to release the latter. A pin 32, on the carrier 2|, projects into a-vertical slot or opening 33 on an outstanding lug or car 34 on the clamping ring 30 so as to secure the ring, the shell and the parts within the latter against rotary movement on the carrier 2| when the clamping ring 30 has been tightened on the shell.

The clamping ring also serves as a scale for showing the position of the major transverse axis of the lower end of the orifice ring with relation to a given direction or base line, such as the longitudinal median line of the feeder, shown at 35 in Fig. 1. To this end, graduations representing degrees of a circle are provided on the ring 30, as indicated at 36. for cooperation with an index element orpointer on the orifice ring shell or case l2. In Fig. 2, this index element is shown by dotted lines at 31 in the position which it would occupy when the major transverse axis of the orifice ring had been turned until disposed at an angle of 90 with the longitudinal median line 35 of the feeder. this being; the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The index element 31, as

: shown in Fig. 2, thus is displaced for the purpose of illustration, it being understood that the full line position of the orifice ring in that view is such that the index element on the shell would indicate zero on the scale and thus could not be seen in the views of the accompanying drawing.

The adjustment of the orifice ring about its vertical axis to dispose its major transverse axis at thedesired angle with the longitudinal median line of the feeder will be eflected while the carrier sition and will be selected in view of the angular relation of the corresponding axis or dimension of each mold of an associate forming machine when such mold is at a station at which it will receive charges from the feeder. After the desired rotatable adjustment of the orifice ring has been effected, the clamping band 30 will be tightened and the orifice ring unit then may be swung to and secured in its operative position, as shown. The adjusted position of the orifice ring will be indicated on the scale on the band 30 so that a predetermined desirable relationship between the internally oblong orifice ring and the correspondingly shaped mold of the associate forming machine can be established and maintained, even though replacement of such an orifice ring is necessary occasionally.

The invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms of structure other than that shown in the accompanying drawing. It may be used to provide a simple, reliable and efficient mounting for any orifice ring of any non-circular shape in internal cross-sectional configuration in any glass feeding apparatus or assembly in which it is desirable or necessary to adjust the orifice ring angularly about its own axis to meet different operating conditions at different times or places, particularly when it is advantageous to have such adjustment shown or indicated at the exterior of such ring in position to be readily observed.

Any of the several transverse axes or dimensions of a non-circular orifice ring, whether of oblong or a different shape, may be used as the axis or dimension line which is to be adjusted angularly or disposed at a given angle with the longitudinal median line of the feeder or with any other appropriate base line or direction, the several structural components of any particular embodiment of the invention being selected and co-ordinated to permit such adjustment or positioning of the orifice ring and to show or indicate on the external scale the position of such transverse axis or dimension line or of any other given point at the interior of the lower end of the orifice ring.

I claim:

1. A mount for an internally non-circular orifice ring for a glass feeder outlet comprising a carrier on which said orifice ring is supported for rotary adjustment about its own central axis, means for securing the orifice ring against rotary movement on the carrier when the orifice ring has been adjusted to dispose a given transverse axisor dimension line of the orifice ring at a predetermined angle with a fixed base line when the orifice ring is in operative position with relation to the feeder outlet, and means for indicating at the exterior of said orifice ring the said angular position of said transverse axis or dimension line of the orifice ring.

2. An adjustable internally non-circular orifice ring structure for glass feeders comprising a carrier supporting said orifice ring for rotary adjustment about its own central axis, said carrier being operable to move said orifice ring to and from an operative position at' the lower end of the feed outlet oi? a glass feeder, clamping means surrounding said orifice ring and connected to said carrier for releasably securing said orifice ring against rotary movement about its own axis and independently of movement of the carrier, and means at the exterior of said orifice ring for indicating the angularly adjusted position of any given point on the interior of said orifice ring relatively to any fixed base tral axis independently of movement of the car-.

rier, saidcarrier being operable to move said orifice ring to and from an operative position at the lower end of a feed outlet of a glass feeder, clamping means connected to the carrier and surrounding said orifice ring for releasabl'y securing the orifice ring in a predetermined angularly adjusted position on carrier,

and indicating means comprising a scale partly encircling said orifice ring and a cooperative index element, one of said parts of the indicating means being movable angularly by the rotary adjustment of the orifice ring on the carrier and the other being stationary on the carrier, whereby the extent of rotary adjustment of the orifice ring on the carrier from any given position will be indicated on said scale.

4. The combination with aglass feeder having an outlet opening in its bottom, of an adjustable orifice structure comprising an orifice ring of non-circular internal configuration at its lower end, a carrier for moving said orifice ring to and from an operative position at the lower end of said outlet opening and supporting said orifice ring for rotary adjustment about its own central axis independently of movement of the carrier, indicating means comprising a scale carried by the carrier andfixed thereon and a cooperative index element movable angularly relatively to the scale when the orifice ring is rotated on the carrier for indicating the angular position of a given transverse axis of the orifice ring with relation to the longitudinal median line of the feeder, and releasable means for securing the orifice ring against accidental or unintended rotary movement about its own axis independently of the carrier. I

5. Inan orifice structure for glass feeders, a refractory orifice ring, a casing surrounding the orifice ring in spaced relation with the side walls thereof, said casing having a bottom provided with a central opening constituting a seat for the lower end portion of the orifice ring, insulation in the casing between the casing and the-orifice ring, mating lugs or projections carried by the orifice ring and the casing, respectively, and co-engaging to prevent relative rotative' movement between the casing and said orifice ring, a carrier rotatably supporting said casing and the orifice ring and the insulation as a unit, and a clamp surrounding the casing and fixed to the carrier for releasably securing said unit against rotary movement independently of the carrier.

6. In an orifice structure for glass feeders, a.

refractory orifice ring, a casing surrounding the orifice ring in spaced relation with the side walls thereof, said casing having a bottom provided with a central opening constituting a seat for the lower end portion of the orifice ring, insulation in the casing between the casing and the orifice ring, mating lugs or projectionscarried [by the orifice ring and the casing, respectively,

and co-engaging to' prevent relative rotative movement between the casing and said orifice ring, a carrier rotatably supporting said casing and the orifice ring and the insulation as a unit, a clamp surrounding the casing and fixed to the carrier for releasably securing said unitagainst rotary movement independently of the carrier, said clamp having a scale thereon extending angularly about the axis of said unit and said casing having an index element thereon for cooperating with the scale to indicate rotary movement of the unit on the carrier, and for showing the angular position of a given transverse axis of the orifice ring with relation to a fixed base line.

WILLIAM T. BARKER, JR. 

